A cobpobation



W. E. GUYOT.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED mm 30. 1921.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

'I/III/I/IIIIIIIIIA UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. GUYOT, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MORSE- ANDRE'WS COMPANY, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921,.

Application filed March so, 1921. Serial No. 456,921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER E. GUYOT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro. in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of buckles that have a pivoted part which by wedge or cam action clamps a belt or strap to hold it against tension, the arrangement being such that the engaging or retaining action may be at any desired place on the strap.

It is an object of the invention to so form the parts of such a buckle that the pull of both the adjustably-held and fixedly-held portions of a strap act directly on the clamping member to cause it to hold.

A further object of the invention it to lpivotally support a clamp member in the body of the buckle, the clamp being provided with two spaced-apart, rigid clamping edges located at different distances from the. pivotal axis of said member, each edge being adapted to engage and clamp a belt independently of the other, the different clamping lengths of this edge rendering it capable of engaging belts of widely different. thicknesses.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the parts in such manner that the clamping member easily may be forced to and released from clamping position.

hen read in connection with the description herein the details and characteristics of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein an embodiment of the invention in a belt-buckle is disclosed, for purposes of illustration.

While the disclosures herein exemplify what now is considered to be a preferable embodiment of the inventiomit is to be un derstood that it is not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto in interpretation of claims, as modifications and adaptations within the limits of the claims can be made.

without departing from the nature of the invention. r

Like reference characters refer to corre and the outer edge 18 of the base of Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the clamping member as seen when looking at an end of the buckle.

F 1g. 4: is an enlarged sectional View of the clamp member showing a bail so constructed that itmay be employed to lift or pry the clamp from clamping position.

1g. 5 is an enlarged view of the clamplng member in position to clamp a comparatively thick belt 'by the edge having the shomest gripping radius.

ig. 6 is a similar view illustrating the clamp as engaging a belt of ness by the combined action of both its long and short clamping edges.

Fig. 7 is a detail illustrating the clamp as engaging a thinner belt by the clamping edge having the longest clamping radius.

Fig. 8 is a view illustrating the arrange ment of the clamp folded intoL-shape in cross-section by which shape the clamp is permitted tobe raised clear of the beltfby a rearward pressure on the hail the latter re maining substantially parallel with the buckle body; 7

Having more particular reference to the drawing, 5 designates the front plate or body portion of a buckle. Oppositely-disposed flanges 6 extend at substantially right angles readwardly from the front plate. With that plate they afford a guideway for the strap or the like to be adjustably held. Preferably theplate and flanges are formed; integrally of sheet'metal.

ear one end of the buckle guide lips 7 may ext-end inwardly from the flanges in separated relation to the front plate to act as a guide for the entering strap or belt into the buckle and to hold itagainstthe plate. I I

At or near the end of-the buckle there is mounted a clamp member 8 which is carried by pintles 9 extending from the ends thereof into seats in the flange 6. y

This clamp member is shown as being formed or folded substantially into L-shape in cross section and is arranged to swing on its pivots, the lower edge 11,, of the stangard t e L providing two separate and distinct rigidly clamping edges located at different distances from the pivotal center, whereby these edges are adapted to independently en-.

gage and clamp belts of difieren thic nesesj Fi '7. y

gubstantially on the opposite side of the piyotal axis "the clamp 8 has oppositelydisposed pintles 12, which a'iford means of pivotally connecting to that member a bail or other suitable part arranged to act as a lever, the same being arranged tohave an end portion of a strap or the like secured thereto. In the embodiment shown this bail member is cutfrom sheet-stock and is folded to form a crossbar 13 arranged to have a portion of a strap or, the like passed there around the side ortions 14: thereof having enlarged tennina l portions 15. formed with seats or eyesinto which thepintles 12 extend.

On the side of the ivotal axis toward the crossbar 13 each of t e terminal portions 15 has an enlargement or; shoulder 16 positioned to engage the adjacent edge of the clamp 8 to assist in moving the edges 11 or 18. against the Strap or the" like to be held adjustjably in the bucklewhen the cross bar 13 is.

serves as a stop to limit the outward swing or releasing motion of the clamp relative to thebail.

.By this construction as best illustrated in Fig. 8, by folding the clamp into L-shape in cross-section I am enabled to obtain two distinct clamping edges and at the same time I am enabled as best illustrated in Fig; 8,

v to swing the clamp clear of the belt by a rearward pressure on the bail and still maintain the bail in a plane substantially parallel to that of the body of the buckle to permit a free entrance of the belt into the buckle and at thesame time take up theminimum operating or working space on the inner side 50 i of the buckle.

When the gripping edges have thus beeh' brought intoengagementthe hold or grip on the adjustableend of the strap is increased both by the pull or stress thereof in one direction and by the pull or stress in the other direction of the part fixedly secured to the cross-bar 13, whereby a reliable hold is maintained onthe adjustably held part.

It is found in practice that when a belt is drawn tightly around the body that its tension serves to draw the clamp member into or binding positien re:

quirm" some considerable strength; to r it in seeemplish thisreleasing air. i '1 bid 1am I ressed toward the front plate "of the back 6. Then. again this shoulder provid'dja rearward and downwardly extending lug 17 on the rear side of the terminal projections" 15 of the bail which lugs serve a" double pu pose; first, tli'ey jengage the back of the clamp and by lifting the bail relative to the body a considerable leverage is obtained by which this clamp is pried loose from its clamping or gripping position onthe belts-to tree the belt and permit it to be removed from the buckle. In some instances where the belt is very tight the front edge of the buckle isl-iited outwardly relative to the bail,- which action also serves tocaus'e the bail, to pry the clamp free from its clamping position;

Another object of this rearwardly and downwardly eirtendinglug i7. is to control the backward swing of the clamp to positively-prevent an excessive tension on the adjustable end of the belt, from drawing the clamp past its maxim-uni gripping center.

For instance in some cases where the gripping edge 18 may be engaging a coin paratively thin belt if it were not for the stop a heavy or unusual strain on the belt might draw this edge past its gripping center and so release the belt entirely;

My improved buckle is extremely simple and inexpensive and practical inconstruction,ais strong and durable-and is ver effective' inits action and... operation and by its use belts of widely difieririgthickiisses may betightly beund and held therein;

' The feregdingdeseription is directed solelytoward the ciis'triictien illustrated, but I desire it to be understood thatl reserve the privilege" er resorting t6 all the ine'cha'nical changes to which the device is susceptible, the inventidn being definedandlii'nited only by the terms of the appended claims.

'I claini:

1: A buckle comprisinga body portion, a clamp member pivotally supported in said body and having two separated relatively rigid clamping edges located at different" distances' from the pivotal axis of said member, each edge being adapted to. cl amp a belt in dependently of the other edge whereby belts of. widely difieieiit: thicknesses may. be. re; tained in said body, and a free sivihgiiigbail member pivotally mounted on said clamp-in; dependent of the blamp=pivt and prt'i'vid'ed with means for limiting the relativeswi'ng ing oi saidelamp I 2. A bu k-le comprisinga body portion, a clamp member pivotally supported in said body tic-engage and bind the belt in the body, and a belt attaching member pivotally conneeted to said clamp, independent of the clamp-pivot and having one end tree to swing and having means. for limiting the met-i611 ef-saidclanipto prevent its swinging beyond its maximum gripping poise comprising a bod y parties, a lie clamp plate folded into L-shape in cross-section and pi votally mounted in said body, said clamp having two spaced apart rigid clamping edges located at different distances from the pivotal axis of said member whereby they are adapted to operate independently to engage and bind belts of different thicknesses, and a bail member connected to said clamp to which the opposite end of the belt may be connected.

4- A buckle comprising a body portion, a clamp plate folded into L-shape in cross-section and pivotally mounted in said body, said clamp having two spaced-apart rigid clamping edges located at different distances from the pivotal axis of said member whereby they are adapted to o erate independently to engage and bind beits of different thicknesses, and a bail member pivotally mounted on said clamp, independent of the clamppivot and adapted to be lifted to pry the clamp from clamping position.

5. A buckle comprislng a body portion, a clamp plate folded into L-shape in cross section and pivotally mounted in said body, said clamp having two spaced apart rigid clamping edges located at different distances from the pivotal axis of said member whereby they are adapted to operate independently to engage and bind belts of different thicknesses, a bail member pivotally mounted on said clamp independent of the clamp-pivot having one end free to pry the clamp from clamping position, and means also at the joint end of the bail for limiting the gripping movement of said clamp.

' 6. A buckle comprising a body portion, a clamp member pivotally mounted in said body and having two spaced apart rigid clamping edges "located at different distances from the pivotal axis of said member, a beltattaching bail pivotally connected at one end to said clamp independent of the clamping pivot and its opposite end being free to swing, and means for limiting the gripping motion of said clamp to prevent it from swinging beyond its maximum gripping point.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WALTER E. GUYOT. 

